21 April 1997: US Govt Licenses First European Encryption Firm London: The US Department of Commerce has awarded the euro-encryption rights to Internet Smartware, a UK company. According to Internet Smartware, the agreement overcomes two major stumbling blocks which have prevented businesses from using the Internet for commercial use: Firstly, European companies can now implement US developed 56-bit DES (data encryption standard) encryption technology, which the company claims is the accepted minimum requirement for Internet commerce, and beyond. Secondly, companies will no longer have to give authorities such as the US government free access to their encrypted data. Internet Smartware claims that the agreement also provides UK companies with an effective alternative to the recent, unpopular DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) encryption proposals, which recommend that companies must give "trusted third parties" access to encrypted data. ---------- "Smart" Cash Cards Pose Law Enforcement Challenges Washington: "Smart cards" that store electronic currency have the potential to revolutionize commerce, but the emerging technology poses challenges for the law enforcement community, government officials said Friday. "The same electronic commerce technology that will save time and money is also capable of being abused," said Peter Toren, senior attorney in the U.S. Justice Department's computer fraud division. Toren, speaking at a conference at American University's law school here, warned that the cards offer the "threat of the perfect counterfeit" because any criminal that can copy them "can create an unending stream of money." ---------- IISP Panel Addresses Cyberspace Payments New York -- Developing secure, cost effective and efficient electronic payment systems is critical to creating a truly global commercial marketplace, and efforts are already underway to address the technology, business, regulatory and legal aspects of cyberspace payments, according to speakers at a March 25-26 panel sponsored by ANSI's Information Infrastructure Standards Panel (IISP). "Micro-payments, anonymous cash, `Smart Cards,' digital cash, electronic purses, and `e-cash' all describe different approaches to achieving a secure payments solution," said ANSI board Member Oliver Smoot. "As these new payments evolve, standards to facilitate interconnection and interoperability are critical." Thomas J. Firnhaber, Policy Adviser at FinCEN, focused on the potential impact of cyberpayments on regulatory and law enforcement and provided an overview of the U.S. Department of Treasury's Cyberpayments efforts to date. "The anonymity, rapidity, volume and audit difficulty of cyberpayments has challenged traditional investigative techniques," he said. ---------- Smart Cards The Next Wave - Report London: Frost & Sullivan (F&S) has announced the publication of a smart card report that predicts the arrival of multi-function smart cards is almost upon us. "Electronic Access Control" predicts that it will soon be possible for a smart card to carry out credit and debit card transactions, as well as holding details of your medical records, your frequent flyer mileage, your social security number, your address. According to F&S, a threat to this technological advance may be the consumer concern for the loss of privacy and a potential Big Brother scenario. Who, the company asks, gets to access the information is an issue on the minds of the consumer? ---------- EUR_gov or http://jya.com/eurgov.txt